Every Rose has its Thorns
by Arayal
Summary: Chapter 2!MTP, mostly. I really love this couple so I decided to write about it. The beginning is not going to be really romantic. That will have to wait. Extended summary inside, rating may rise.
1. Travel

some time ago I wrote a trunks and pan fanfiction. Then I realized that I didn't like that couple. Well I do, but I like the Mirai Trunks and Pan couple much better. In my opinion he is way cuter than Present Trunks. (huggles the Mirai Trunks Pillow she got from Wal-Mart and the Mirai Trunks Plushie she got from E-bay[that she washed first, by the way])  
  
Ahem! Anyway I decided I just HAD to write a Mirai Trunks x Pan story. So here it is.  
  
Summary: From the Mirai Trunks Perspective- Eight years after Mirai Trunks returned to the future, his mother died in a freak accident. Bereft, he decides to return to the past. However, he discovers that the time machine has only enough juice to take him to twenty years, past or future, in the alternate timeline. He decides to go twenty years to the future. Making it actually Twenty Eight years in the regular DBZ universe's future from the end of the Cell Games. (Got it so far? Good.) He is... surprised when he first arrives, to say the least. The actual story starts upon his arrival.  
  
Pan perspective- She is training with Vegeta when Trunks arrives. Uh-oh, what happens when Future boy interferes, thinking that Vegeta is picking on a helpless little girl...?  
  
Pan is 16 (this is completely based on my falacious pretense that Gohan and Videl had Pan when they were 22, which is false, but let's pretend)  
  
Mirai Trunks is 28 (doi. He is SOOOOO hot!)  
  
Present Trunks is 30 (whoa, ain't it strange that the cute widdle baby is now older than his counterpart?)  
  
  
  
Goten is 29 (I love Goten. So does Bura in ERhiT)  
  
Marron is 26 (She's Present Trunks' fiancé, of course)  
  
Bura is 17 (y'know, I still haven't been able to find out if she's a year older or a year younger than Pan. I always pictured Pan as being younger)  
  
The older people are just old. You figure out the ages.  
  
Oh yes, I forgot two things. Gohan and Videl had a midlife crisis and decided to have another child. Only they ended up with two bundles of joy. Goki and Gokan are two and a half year old little boys. Yeah, they're heathens. Picture miniature Gokus, only evil lil' buggers.  
  
Not ones to be outdone, Vegeta and Bulma also had another baby. A girl, appropriately named Geta, as in ve-Geta. (Oh shut up, fifty something women have babies all the time now. There's no such thing as menopause in anime) She's an adorable two year old, has curly black hair, and her daddy absolutely dotes on her. Copy and paste this onto your browser to meet her:   
  
http://www.geocities.com/arayal86/geta.html?1081548421710  
  
What do you think of her?  
  
Now!....Please read and review  
  
Every Rose has its Thorns  
  
Trunks had no idea what to expect upon his arrival. It had been pure whim to come to the future instead of the past. The bad thing about it was that he couldn't return if they rejected him. But he hadn't known what to do. His mother had been his lifeline. Her death left him distraught and abandoned. Despite being the most powerful being of his time, he was a severe momma's boy. With a mere glare from her he could be cowed. Her smile lit up his day.(I don't want to hear any flak from all you Freudians out there=()  
  
He smiled in remembrance. She was some woman. Wondered if his...   
  
His smile faded. He really really hoped they would accept him.  
  
Fear was delaying him from opening the hatch. 'Don't be a coward, boy. You're acting worse than a spoiled little girl.' He thought, repeating to himself what his father had said to him many times while in the Time Chamber. He often used that phrase when he was afraid of doing something in the subsequent years since he'd returned. Kami, he missed those guys.  
  
By his calculations he should be on Capsule Corporation grounds. He opened the hatch and peaked around curiously. Nothing was in site, except for the GR.  
  
Wait, the GR? Wasn't that where his father spent most of his time? And wasn't the Capsule Corp. family home near there? Yes, if he remembered correctly it was... He jumped out of the cab and walked around the gravity chamber.   
  
...right there. The Briefs' family home loomed up less than a hundred yards away. Curiously he began walking toward the dome mansion.   
  
That was when an ear piercing shriek penetrated the peaceful tranquility of the early morning. Trunks yelped and dove back. The sound had come from within the gravity room. And it was definitely not Vegeta-esque. He peered into one of the strong fiber glass windows and saw a young woman go flying across the interior.  
  
Trunks sprinted around to the front to hit the emergency disabler and open the pressurized door. He spared his father a glance and focused on the crumpled form on the far wall. He knelt down beside the girl and shook her gently. "Hey, are you alright?" She began tok rise and he started to sigh in relief. The sigh turned into a gasp as a fist slammed sharply into his gut.  
  
"What was that for?" he wheezed as he squinted up into dark angry eyes.   
  
"I've told you a million times that I hate it when you interfere. I'm not a child!" she growled.   
  
"My mistake," Trunks still felt the punch and wouldn't forget any time soon.  
  
"You are an arrogant-"  
  
"Pan!" a low raspy voice barked.   
  
"What!?" the girl snapped back at Vegeta.  
  
"That isn't Trunks,"  
  
"Of course it is, what kind of fool do you take me for?"  
  
The Saiyan king snorted. "Obviously a stupid one. If you would concentrate for a moment you would sense that this person's ki is much stronger than Trunks."   
  
Pan surveyed the winded young man skeptically. "Then who...?"  
  
Vegeta strolled up to the newcomer and measured him thoughtfully. After a somewhat awkward moment, for Trunks at least, he smirked with approval. "You've gotten stronger. Welcome back... son."  
  
Trunks grinned and slid his hand into the one his father offered. It was the best moment he'd had in a long time. "Glad to be back, Father"  
  
"Wait! He's not Trunks, but he's your son and a doppleganger? Vegeta, did you cheat on Bulma?" the girl asked suspiciously.  
  
"Hn. Stupid girl."  
  
"Geezer," She sneered back.  
  
"Come on. My wife can explain it better."  
  
"Wife? When did *that* happen?"  
  
Vegeta growled.  
  
*****  
  
Bulma was quite upset at being awakened from her 'beauty sleep.' At least until she saw the reason for the disturbance. With a girlish squeal she launched herself at her son who caught her with much surprise.   
  
"Hello mother. I'm back for good now"  
  
"Thank Kami" she whispered with tears in her eyes. She moved back and fretted when she realized she was still in a robe and without make-up or anything. "Oh, Kami, I must look a fright. I'm so much older than the last time you saw me."  
  
"You're as beautiful as you always were." Bulma blushed at the complement.   
  
"Well just look at you. You've gotten even more handsome. Come, you must meet the rest of the family. Oh, dear, I forgot both Bura and Trunks are at friend's houses." She smiled. "But they'll be home this afternoon. In fact, everyone's coming over for the party."  
  
"Who's Bura? What party?" Trunks felt as if he was going to get whiplash from the hundred different directions his mother seemed to be going in.  
  
Bulma's eyes softened. Trunks looked to Vegeta for an explanation only to see that his face had taken on a softer expression also. He even wore a nearly imperceptible smile on his normally harsh features.  
  
"My little miracle," his mother said. "Geta. Today's her second birthday."  
  
"Mommy! Daddy!"  
  
A little girl came running, headed straight for the adults. With practised expertise, Vegeta scooped her up mid run and tossed her in the air. She giggled and gave him a big hug. He could see her clearly now. She had bright blue Brief's eyes and curly black hair. Her face was baby round and infused with youthful glee. She was an exceptionally beautiful child. (remember, if you want to meet Geta, use the link up top!)  
  
While Vegeta played with his daughter Bulma said in an aside to Trunks, "He calls her his little fighter. There were complications during the pregnancy since I had her so late in life. I almost miscarried twice then she was born prematurely. But she held on. It was meant to be. She was meant to be."   
  
"I see. She's really beautiful, Mother."  
  
Someone cleared their throat uncomfortably from behind them. "Yes Pan?" Bulma turned around to look at the nearly forgotten guest.   
  
"Um, speaking of the-" she glanced at the birthday girl, "p-a-r-t-y, I have to go home and change. I'll see you later. Maybe then you guys can explain what's going on..."  
  
"Of course. It would be my pleasure." Bulma responded.  
  
The Pan girl walked by Vegeta and gave the little girl a kiss. "Bye Squirt. Maybe Aunt Videl will bring Goki and Gokan over."  
  
"Yay! Bye-bye Panny!" Geta waved then continued playing peek-a-boo with her father.  
  
After Pan had gone Trunks asked, "Who is she? I mean not many people would willingly spar with father."  
  
"Hn. She's Kakarott's grandaughter." Vegeta replied sourly. "And a convoluted pain in the a- neck," he corrected quickly.  
  
"Goku's Grandaughter? That means she's Gohan's daughter?"  
  
"Yep. She's sixteen. Very responsible and sweet. Except while she's being corrupted by your father."  
  
"And when my other self treats her like a little girl apparently." Trunks added dryly."  
  
Bulma wrinkled her nose slightly. "Yes I'm afraid she used to have a crush on my son. She still hates for him tho think of her as weak. They had quite an adventure in outer space a few years ago."  
  
"She doesn't have a crush on him any more?"  
  
"I don't think so. Not since his engagement to Marron.  
  
"Marron?"  
  
His mother laughed aloud at his confusion. "Krillin and 18's daughter." As Trunks stiffened Bulma rememberd the devastation the androids had caused in his world.  
  
"She's different now. Marriage and motherhood changed her." she related quietly. Trunks relaxed slightly but was still ill at ease at the thought of confronting the cyborg.  
  
Changing the subject, Trunks reminded Bulma that he still didn't know who Bura was.   
  
"She's your sister. If you're going to be living here now, I guess I'll have to show you who everybody is. Let me get dressed and we'll go to my study to look through photo albums."  
  
"Alright, Mother"  
  
"Vegeta could you get a change of clothes from Trunks' room so Trunks can change... My, that sounds odd. I suppose we'll have to introduce you as Mirai Trunks to those that don't know you. It should be alright though. Once Trunks is married he'll be living elswhere and it won't be so confusing."  
  
Vegeta growled. "Come on, brat."  
  
The slacks his father dug up from the wreck of a room fit perfectly, but the shirts were a little too tight. Trunks kept his undershirt on and left one of the other Trunks' hawaiian shirts unbuttoned.  
  
Bulma met him wandering around. She gave him a once over and said, "You'll do,"   
  
Once in the study, Bulma closed the door and dug out three massive photo albums.   
  
Opening the first one she began. "This is Goten, Chi-chi and Goku's second son...  
  
****  
  
By the time they were through Trunks knew Goten, Videl, Present Trunks, Marron, Bura, Pan, Goki, Gokan, Geta, and all the other new members of the Z group. He knew what each one looked like, also. His mother took pictures often and with zeal.   
  
Somewhere around three in the afternoon, Bulma went to put the finishing touches on the the party preparations. Exhausted, Trunks lay in the familiar surroundings of his mother. Even though they were from two different worlds and had been subjected to two different sets of circumstances, they were fundamentally the same person. It was amazing how different, yet how alike his mothers were. He would have liked for them to meet.  
  
All in all, he couldn't have asked for a better welcome, all things considered. With that thought his eyelids closed and he drifted off on a cloud of contentment.  
  
Okay, so that's it. The first Chapter. I would really like for you to visit the Geta link at the top. PLEASE! rnr 


	2. Aware

So, did you check out Geta? Remember, vote on my poll! If you didn't see the link go to chapter one and check it out.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Trunks? Trunks, are you still in here?" He came awake instantly. Bulma discovered him vegging on the chaise and smiled indulgently. She'd pulled out all the stops and dressed to kill for the party. In a clingy red dress and expertly applied make-up, the fifty six(?) year old woman didn't look a day over thirty.  
  
"I got you a suit for the party. I hope it fits. You do have a slightly larger build than the present Trunks so I guessed your sizes.  
  
"Speaking of which, he and Bra just got home. I didn't tell them-I want it to be a surprise. Hurry, go get changed,"  
  
"Okay, okay." He stumbled out of the room found one of the bathrooms. As he finished changing, a knock came on the door. He thought it might be Bulma until a familiar masculine voice called out.   
  
"Mom? Mom are you in there? What'd you do with my dress shirt?" Trunks froze as he heard his own voice come through the other side.  
  
Deciding that he couldn't just stay in the bathroom all day, and he'd might as well get it over with anyway, he opened the door.  
  
The two Trunks came face to face with each other. The one from the present blinked once, twice. then stumbled back into the wall.   
  
"Trunks, TRUNKS! What happened?" A girl who looked remarkably like Bulma rushed down the corridor. Bura, Trunks now knew her as, took one look at her stupefied brother and then glanced over to his double.  
  
"MOM!!!!!"  
  
"What what is it?" The woman in question was there in a matter of seconds, holding an earring in one hand, the match inrst out laughing. "Of course not, dear. This is Mirai Trunks. Trunks meet Bura and... Trunks."   
  
His counterpart slowly crept away from the wall stared at him. He did likewise. Upon closer inspection, there were subtle differences.   
  
Mirai Trunks was more muscular and his hair was lighter. His features were sharper and his eyes held much more painful knowledge.  
  
Present Trunks smirked ruefully. "She didn't make you President of Capsule Corp. did she?"  
  
"It was the only thing I ever refused to do for her. I caught hell over it." Mirai Trunks replied, equally as wry.  
  
"Lucky you. Although I much prefer being president than having my father beat the snot out of me at every turn."  
  
Trunks considered. "I still think that would be preferable."  
  
"You're either insane, or very brave,"  
  
"Nice to meet you... Trunks,"  
  
"Same here... Trunks," Mirai Trunks replied, grasping his counterpart's tentatively extended hand.   
  
Bulma latched onto a still reeling Bura, squealing like a school-girl. She then leapt onto both her son's and hugged them around the neck simultaneously.   
  
Tears of joy sparkled in her eyes as she calmed herself. "I'm so happy that you two are getting along. I was afraid it might be... awkward. Now, you two need to go get ready. Geta's party begins in an hour." she cried shooing her present children down the hall.  
  
"You, I have a special job for. You still haven't formally met Geta. I think she thought you were him this morning. Come on. She's probably in the garden. For the life of me I can't keep that child out of my flowers." She grumbled good naturedly.  
  
She practically dragged him outside. Sure enough, skipping through the fragrant blossoms was the enchanting little girl. They watched her for a moment, wondering how something so innocent could exist in their world.   
  
"She has all our best qualities and none of the bad. Mine and Vegeta's. His black hair and stamina my blue eyes and facial structure. Oh, she'll be a heartbreaker one day,"  
  
"Uh-huh." Slowly, he began to approach her. Before he could get close she seemed to sense him and looked up warily, used to being scolded over frolicking in the flowers.   
  
She tilted her head curiously at him. "Yo not my bwotho. You feew diffwent, but you wook the same,"  
  
"You're right. My aren't you a smart little girl, like your mommy, huh?"  
  
Geta looked around him to catch sight of her mother. When she nodded encouragingly she carefully stepped up closer to the strange, yet very familiar man. His eyes were different than Trunks.  
  
"My mommy tewed me to nevo tock to st-stwangos" She stepped up to the man and held out her hand regally. "I'm Geta, wike vuh-Geta. That's my daddy."  
  
Trunks knelt down and took her hand firmly, yet gently. "Hello, Geta, I'm..." with sudden inspiration he finished, "...I'm Mirai."  
  
"Pweased to meet you Miwai," she tugged on his hand and he let her lead him. She began babbling her surprisingly extensive knowledge of the garden like she'd known him forever instead of for just minutes.  
  
After a while, Bulma called them. He looked apologetically at her then down at his clothes which were covered in garden grime. Geta's good dress was in the same condition.  
  
Bulma only smiled indulgently. "That's okay. I had just about decided to turn it into a pool party any way."  
  
Geta whooped. "I'w go get my bathing suit!" she zoomed into the house and out of sight.  
  
"Go on up to Trunks room, hun, he'll find you some-a suit."  
  
"Alright. Mother, I think it would be a good idea that I be introduced as 'Mirai' to the people who don't know me yet. And the rest of you should start thinking of me that way, too. To lessen confusion," he explained. "That's already what Geta knows me as,"  
  
"I see," Bulma thought about this for a moment. "I suppose. It would be simpler. But I'm still going to address you by your given name. That is what I named you after all."   
  
"That's fine,"  
  
"Well, go on. Scoot. I already informed the others that the plans have changed for the party. They should be arriving any minute,"  
  
"Okay, okay. You sure aren't any less bossy," he muttered.  
  
"I heard that young man! And you had better believe it,"  
  
On his way upstairs he passed his new sister. She paused on her way down and eyed him suspiciously. "You aren't like him are you? I mean, besides looks?"   
  
"I-uh don't know."  
  
"I do. You aren't, like, going to start getting over protective of me and try to kill my boyfriends, are you?"  
  
Mirai laughed. "No, you seem perfectly capable of making your own decisions. I'll try not to interfere."  
  
Bura studied this new brother of hers. There was something about him that made her want to like him. "Good. Because I'm secretly dating his best friend and when he finds out he'll totally freak." she confided. "Not to mention daddy," She tried the sad puppy eyes she so often used on her father and asked, "When they find out you won't let them kill Goten, will you?"  
  
"Uh... no?"  
  
"Oh, I just knew you would be rational about this! Trunks and daddy are so melodramatic when it comes to my beaus. I mean Goten didn't even want to see me at first because he was afraid of what they might do. Well, there's also the silly little rule about dating your best friend's sister, but he got over that real quick." she informed with a satisfied little smirk. "So, big brother, what should I call you? I mean two Trunks is kind of weird"  
  
"Just call me Mirai,"  
  
"Mirai? Rad! I like it. See you at the pool"  
  
"Wait, Bura!"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"How old is Goten?" he asked knowingly.  
  
She flushed guiltily. "Twenty-nine."  
  
"I thought he was probably a lot older, since he's Trunks' best friend."  
  
"That isn't a problem, really, he's so innocent. He has this goofy way of grinning when he's confused or embarrassed. I think it must be genetic because his big brother gets the same way." Her expression turned dreamy. "Only Goten's is way cuter,"  
  
"Would his big brother be named Gohan, by any chance?"  
  
"Yep. I guess you knew Gohan, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, you could say that,"  
  
"Well, I gotta go. Pan's supposed to be coming early. I don't even think she owns a bathing suit." Right on cue, Bulma called from downstairs.  
  
"Bura, Pan's here! She doesn't have a suit, could you get her one?"  
  
"Told you. Coming Mom! I already have one!" she sped down the stairs.  
  
Mirai continued up and knocked on the door of his other self.  
  
"Hey... Trunks"  
  
"Just call me Mirai. It'll be easier that way." he smirked ruefully.  
  
The other seemed distracted, "Right. Here, I figured you'd need some of these."  
  
Trunks handed him a pair of blue swimming trunks and a matching Hawaiian shirt.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"I don't know if mom told you, but your room will be down the hall, the second door on the left."  
  
"Okay," he walked to the indicated door and opened it. The room was very... impersonal. He'd have to fix that.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"You met my new brother earlier, right Pan?"  
  
"Yeah, so?" Pan said from behind the changing curtain in the pool house.   
  
"So, what'd you think of him?"  
  
"Well, I didn't really get a chance to 'meet' him. I kind of mistook him for, well, Trunks."  
  
"Oh. So you think he's hot don't you?"  
  
"Bura!"  
  
"Oh, c'mon. I know you've been crushing on my brother since you were like two. You gotta think Mirai is even hotter."  
  
Pan thought back to when she'd taken a closer look at the doppleganger from the future. She had noticed differences. Significant ones. His power for one. It was nearly triple that of Present Trunks as a Super Saiya-jin. The new Trunks was obviously a trainer. And yes, she had noticed that Mirai had differences in his appearance that made him severely hot instead of just hot.  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Ah-ha! I knew it. It's time for you to stop pining over my brother and get a new object of affection. My other brother!"  
  
"Bura, no! I don't even know this guy. He might not even give me the time of day. I did sock him a good one in the gut. If he's a good fighter, which I suspect he is, I'm going to want something else from him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"His guidance. I want him to train me."  
  
"Daddy trains you,"  
  
"Vegeta humors me. He doesn't take me seriously. I want someone to train me that would help me realize my goal. To become the first female Super Saiya-jin."  
  
"Wait. I thought mom said that the super gene was held in the Y chromosome. Girls only have X's. It's impossible."  
  
"Bulma's wrong. I can feel it. I know I can do it if someone would give me a chance and take me seriously!" She emerged from the curtain breathing heavily from agitation.   
  
"Whoa. You look fantastic! You are going to knock his socks off."  
  
"What? Who?"   
  
"Mirai, of course. Ooh, the more I think about it the more I think you two would make a perfect couple."  
  
Halfway through her comment, Pan had face faulted. "Bura, did you even hear a word I said?"  
  
"Of course I did. I just want you to be as happy as I am. Fighting isn't everything, Pan"  
  
"Speak for yourself. I feel silly. Why did you get me a bikini for Kami's sake? A *red* bikini? Have you no shame?"  
  
"Let me think... no. Come on, it's hot and I want to get in the pool. You can be a prude if you want."  
  
"I am *not* a prude!"  
  
"Yeah right. You are the most prudish person I know besides Chi-chi."  
  
"Oh, shut up. I'm not that bad."  
  
"Yes you are. Now quit whining so I can hook you up with my other brother." she giggled. "That sounds so strange. But he's really cool. He even promised to protect Goten if my father and Trunks found out about us."  
  
"I don't think anyone could stop Vegeta if he was in the size of an uproar that would put him in."  
  
They arrived at the pool bickering. Pan caught sight of Mirai and in spite of her better judgement, nearly drooled. No one with light purple hair should be permitted to look that good. But he looked perfect. Not to muscled, not too thin, simply... perfect.  
  
He was in red trunks with a matching shirt that hung open. Right then he had a squealing Geta dangling over the water. He dropped her in and she popped up giggling. His eyes smiled down at the baby who had already captured his heart. He looked up at the newcomers and started to wave. He froze with his hand midway in the air when he saw the red clad beauty staring at him. Black met blue in surprised awareness.  
  
One thought surfaced in each of their scrambled minds. And that was a foul oath.   
  
Okay, so they notice each other as male and female now. Whatcha think? 


End file.
